Markianopolis, Moesia Inferior

Septimius Severus, AD 193-211
AE 28, 10.83g, 27.68mm, 210°
struck under governor Cosconius Gentianus
obv. AV K L CEP - CEVHROC PE
Bust, draped (and cuirassed?), laureate, r.
rev. MARKIANOPOLEITW - N Y K GENTIAN / [OV] (both Os as dots)
Dionysos, in short girded chiton and waving chlamys, with boots, stg. facing, head l., holding thyrsos in raised l. hand and kantharos in r. hand; l. at his feet the panther
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 550 (2 ex., Sophia, Sestini)
b) Varbanov (engl.) 713
c) Hristova/Jekov (2014) No.6.14.8.1
Very rare, about VF, slight general roughness (Pick writes: Very coarse stile)
Pedigree:
ex coll. Lars Rutten


The clothed Dionysos is quite rare in this region (Pat Lawrence).

Jochen

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

An extremely rare Mammaea from Markianopolis

Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235
AE 23 (Dreier), 8.13g, 23.41mm, 45°
obv. IOVLIA - MA[M]A[IA]
Bust, draped and with stephane, r.
rev. MARKIAN - O - POLITWN
Artemis huntress, in short chiton and wearing boots, advancing r., chlamys waving behind, holding bow in extended l. hand and drawing arrow from quiver over r. shoulder; at her l. foot hound leaping r.
in lower l. field Gamma (retrograde)
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 1086 (1 ex., St.Petersburg)
b) Varbanov 1882 corr. (writes in error MAMMAIA), R9
c) Hristova/Jekov (2014) No. 6.35.13.1 (plate coin)
extremely rare, VF, nice glossy green Patina



The only type for Mamaea from Markianopolis

 

WOW certainly great coins Jochen, well centred with fantastic eye appeal.

 

Here's one I reshot months ago, then forgot to edit.




Caracalla, Marcianopolis, Moesia Inferior, AE Peantassaria, 198-217 AD

O: Caracalla and Julia Domna, R: Fortuna with rudder and cornucopia. 30 mm, 17. 4g. Varbanov I 1040

 

Spectacular coins, Jochen!
Thanks for showing them to us!

 

Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE 27, 13.37g, 26.98mm, 30°
struck under governor Quintilianus
obv. ANTWNINOC AVGOVCTOC IOVLIA DOMNA
confronted head of Caracalla, laureate, r., and bust of Julia Domna, draped, l.
rev. VP KVNTILINA - O - V MARKIANOPOL / ITWN
Emperor, wearing military cloak, laureate, stg. r., holding reversed spear in raised r. head and parazonum in l. arm, l. foot on neck of captive with pointed cap, kneeling r., looking l.
in l. field E (pentassarion)
ref. a) not in AMNG:
rev. AMNG I/1, 682 var. (different legend break)
obv. AMNG I/1, 683
b) Varbanov 1027
c) Hristova/Jekov (2014) 6.19.34.8 (same rev. die)
very rare, about VF/about EF, nice dark green Patina

Jochen

 

Those really are some fantastic coins, @Jochen! I'm tempted to start a thread for Nicopolis just to see what you'll show us.

 

Jochen has already found the recent Nikopolis thread

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/nikopolis-ad-istrum.314558/

 

Thanks! I’m so out of it.

 

Nice coins everyone! I don’t have any confronted busts from Markianopolis yet. I bid on one in a recent auction and was outbid hilariously.

Also, as a side note, comparing @Jochen’s coins to mine here, maybe I should focus on areas of the provinces where he hasn’t written the book on the subject, lol.

 

A Tyche Euposia from Markianopolis

Usually Tyche Euposia is a motive from Nikopolis ad Istrum. But sometimes she occurs in other mints too. Here is one from Markianopolis.



Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE 27, 11.67g, 26.89mm, 180°
struck under governor Quintilianus
obv. ANTWNINOC PI - O - C AVGOVCT - O - C
bearded head, laureate, r.
rev. VP KVNTILIANO - V MARKIANOPO - LITW
in lower r. field N
Tyche Euposia, in long girded double chiton and mantle, diademed and wearing
kalathos, stg. l., holding cornucopiae in l. arm and in extended r. hand rudder; on
her l. arm, a nude infant (Plutos) std. l. stretching his arms for her
ref.: a) not in AMNG
b) not in Varbanov (engl.):
possibly #982 corr. (Plutos not mentioned)
c) Hristova/Jekov (2013) No. 6.18.38.9
d) not in Pfeiffer
rare, about VF, nice green Patina



Euposia reminds strongly of the statue Eirene with Ploutos made by Kephisodotos, father or uncle of Praxiteles. It shows that prosperity is possible only together with peace.

Jochen

 

Caracalla&Julia Domna, AD 198-217
AE 27, 12.83g, 28.38mm, 45°
struck under governor Quintilianus
obv. ANTWN - INOC AVGOVCTOC - IOV - LIA DOMNA
confronted busts of Caracalla, laureate, r., and Julia Domna, draped, l.
rev. VP KUNTILIANOV MARKIAN - OPOLITWN
Dionysos, nude to hips, seated on panther advancing r., right hand resting on
animal, holding thyrsos in l. hand
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 670 (1 ex., Löbbecke)
b) Varbanov (engl.) 1021 (does not mention AMNG 670!)
c) Hristova/Jekov (2013) No.6.19.8.1 (R7)
very rare, about VF, nice glossy brown-green Patina


Löbbecke was the owner of a bank in Braunschweig/Germany and a famous collector.

 

Another Dionysos:

Elagabal & Julia Maesa, AD 118-222
AE 28, 11.68g, 28.47mm, 15°
struck under governor Antonius Seleucus
obv. AVT K M AVR ANTWNEINOC AVG.IOVLIA MAICA AVG.
Confronting busts of Elagabal, draped and cuirassed, laureate, r., and Julia Maesa, draped and with stephane, l.
rev. VP IOVL ANT CELEVKOV MARKIANOPOLITWN (both OV and WN ligate)
Dionysos, nude, wearing boots, stg. l. with Standbein (engaged leg) and Spielbein (free leg), holding in raised l. hand ribboned thyrsos and pouring wine from kantharos; at his feet l. the panther is std. l. with raised pawn, head r., looking up to him.
in upper l. field E (for pentassarion)
a) AMNG I/1, 952 var. (2 ex., Löbbecke, Paris; the ex. in Paris with unligate MAR; ligate WN not mentioned)
b) Varbanov (engl.) 1666
c) Hristova/Jekov (2013) No.6.28.8.2
rare, F-VF, soft strike left side, nevertheless a beautiful Dionysos and a beautiful Domna!

 

Yes, here's one of Diadumenian from Nicopolis:

 

Do you know that your coin is listed with pic under No. 8.25.38.12 in Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov, Nikopolis, 2018?

 

It's the photo from the auction. A plate coin, I guess.

 

Another Euposia from Markianopolis:

Commodus, AD 177-192
AE 22, 5.84g, 22.13g, 0°
obv. AV K.L.AVR. - KOMODOC
bust, bearded, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r.
rev. MARKIANO - P - OLEITWN
Tyche Euposia, in long garment and mantle, wearing kalathos (or mural crown?), stg. frontal, head l., holding cornucopiae in l. arm and rudder in r. hand; the small faintly-drawn baby Ploutos in the crook of Tyche's left arm
ref. a) cf. AMNG I/1, 541 (different legend break on rev.)
b) Varbanov (engl.) 709
c) Hristova/Jekov (2013) No. 6.10.38.3 (plate coin)
VF, nice green patina
Thanks to archivum for pointing us to Plutos!



The arrow points to Ploutos. After closely looking at all Tyche types of Markianopolis we have detected some more types with Euposia:
(1) Commodus, Hristova/Jekov (2014) 6.10.38.1
(2) Septimius Severus, struck under Faustinianus, sold by Ken Dorney May 2017
(3) Septimius Severus, struck under Auspex, HrJ (2014) 6.14.38.2
Mostly Ploutos is depicted very faintly.

Best regards

 

Some fantastic Marcianopolis coins Jochen you have made this thread quite a comprehensive display of this province.
It's a pity my confronted busts of Macrinus and his son isn't in better shape, like yours.
Macrinus & Diadumenian, 217-218 AD,
AE 26, 11.9gm, Thrace Marcianopolis.
Triumphal arch with four statues. Varbanov 929.

 

A nice type! Here is mine.



HrJ (2014) 6.24.46.2 (plate coin)
The outer 2 figures on top of the arch are 2 Victories, the 2 inner ones male figures, the right one resting with raised l. hand on spear, the left one with raised l. hand.

Best regards

 

An enigmatic reverse from Markianopolis

Macrinus & Diadumenian, AD 217-218
AE 27, 12.57g, 26.64mm, 15°
struck under governor Furius Pontianus
obv. AVT K OPEL CEV MAKREINOV AVT KM OPEL ANTWNEINOC
Confronting heads of Macrinus, laureate, r., and of Diadumenian, bare, l.
rev. VP PONTIANO - V M - ARKIANOPOLI / TWN
Male figure in himation stg.l., holding an unknown long bent rod in l. arm and in r.
hand patera over burning altar
in r. field E
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 777, pl. XIX, 12, same rev. die (1 ex., Paris)
b) Varbanov (engl.) 1279 corr. (has CEVH)
c) Hristova/Jekov (2013) No.6.24.34.2 (plate coin)
very rare, about VF



A mysterious rev.: Himation and attitude would match Zeus. But the youthful and unbearded portrait is unusual. HrJ mentions Diadumenian! And until now the meaning or function of the long bent object is not known. Suggestions were Apollo with long bow. But similar objects on coins from Ankyra suggest that it is a sacral attribute. We have had a long discussion on Forum Ancient Coins: "Odd and still rare" ten years before. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=27381.msg415454#msg415454

What do you think?

Best regards